King James Bible

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Daniel

8

:

3

Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Then I lifted up accept Verb H5375 וָאֶשָּׂ֤א va·'es·sa
mine eyes affliction Noun H5869 עֵינַי֙ ei·nai
and saw advise self Verb H7200 וָאֶרְאֶ֔ה va·'er·'eh,
and behold behold Particle H2009 וְהִנֵּ֣ה ve·hin·neh
ram mighty Noun H352 אַ֣יִל a·yil
which had [two] horns hill Noun H7161 קְרָנָ֑יִם ke·ra·na·yim;
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

and behold there stood abide Verb H5975 עֹמֵ֛ד o·med
before accept Noun H6440 לִפְנֵ֥י lif·nei
the river river Noun H180 הָאֻבָ֖ל ha·'u·val
and the [two] horns hill Noun H7161 וְהַקְּרָנַ֣יִם ve·hak·ke·ra·na·yim
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

[were] high haughty Adjective H1364 גְּבֹהֹ֗ות ge·vo·ho·vt
a a Adjective H259 אֶחָ֗ד e·chad
[was] higher haughty Adjective H1364 גְּבֹהָ֣ה ge·vo·hah
than above Prepostion H4480 מִן־ min-
than the other again Noun H8145 הַשֵּׁנִ֔ית ha·she·nit,
and the higher haughty Adjective H1364 וְהַ֨גְּבֹהָ֔ה ve·hag·ge·vo·hah,
came up arise Verb H5927 עֹלָ֖ה o·lah
last after Adjective H314 בָּאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ ba·'a·cha·ro·nah.

Parallel Verses

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King James Bible Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
Hebrew Greek English Then I lifted up mine eyes, my eyes and saw, and, looked, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were high; long, but one was higher longer than the other, and with the higher came longer one coming up last.
New American Standard Bible 1995 Then I lifted up mine eyes, my eyes and saw, and, looked, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were high; long, but one was higher longer than the other, and with the higher came longer one coming up last.